Furniture drawer lock



Dec. 5, 1939. slEGEL 2,182,504

FURNITURE DRAWER LOCK Filed April 23, 1937 2 Shets-Sheet l m U INVENTOR. m a

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 5, 1939. J. c. SIEGEL FURNITURE DRAWER LOCK Filed April 23, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YINVENTOR.

- ATTORMEYS.

Patented Dec. 5, 1939 V UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE FURNITURE DRAWER LOCK James O. Siegel, New York, N. Y. Application April 23, 1937, Serial No. 138,528

6 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for looking the drawers of a piece 'of furniture, such as a bureau or cabinet.

There has always been a demand for a good look for furniture drawers, since most people find it very desirable to look their drawers and thus prevent tampering with the contents thereof.

A very effective way of looking a series of drawers is to provide an individual lock for each drawer, but this is extremely expensive, if the locksare to be of good quality. A second way is to provide locking mechanism for looking all of the drawers, the mechanism to be controlled from a single point. This type of locking system is highly desirable because a very good grade of lock may be supplied and will control all of the drawers at the same time. Thus, in a system of this sort where there are eight drawers, one good lock will be sufiicient for the entire eight drawers, while if individual locks are used, it is necessary to use eight locks for the eight drawers.

However, a drawer locking system of this preferred type has never been successful in medium or low priced furniture, because those locking structures of the prior art which have been devised so as to be made at a low price have been diificult to install and difficult to operate, while also giving considerable trouble. The prior art locking devices have also required special fabrication of the furniture to facilitate their application, and for that reason have failed commercially. I do not mean to confuse my invention with the type of locking system used on desks, where the locking of a single drawer controls all of the drawers, and where relatively expensive means are utilized. Systems of this type are too expensive to warrant their application to the average run of furniture and they require special construction of the furniture. This is also true of the type of system used on filing cabinets, which is also too expensive for use on ordinary furniture, and for that reason has never been applied to ordinary furniture.

While the main object of my invention is the arrangement of a locking system which will function perfectly, and will be easy to install on standard furniture, as well as inexpensive to manufacture, a further object of my invention resides in the arrangement of my locking system so that it will be unobtrusive and will not be objectionable in appearance when applied to modern furniture, which is usually made without obstructing portions and without a showing of hardware.

In my drawings, I show two modifications, Figs.

1 and 2 being partial-front and side-views respectively of a bureau utilizing either of my modifications. Fig. 3 is a partial elevation and section of the back of the bureau with the back cover plate removed therefrom. Fig. 4 is a sec- 5 tion taken substantially along lines 4-4 of Fig. 3, while Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of a portion of Fig. 3, illustrating the mounting of the lock cylinder relatively to the bureau. Fig. 6 is a section through lines 6-@ of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a modification of my invention, while Fig. 8 is a view along lines 8-8 of Fig. '7. Fig. 9 is a partial section along lines 9-9 of Fig. 7 and showing parts'of the assembly located in a plane above Fig. 9.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the front of a modern type of bureau in which the drawers I0 have no handles, but rely rather on under-cut portions I l formanual manipulation. Similarly, it will be noticed that none of the drawers have key holes of the type usually present in furniture equipped with locks. As shown in Fig. 2, the only locking device which is visible is the locking cylinder l2 at the extreme upper rear portion of the side panel of the bureau.

In Fig. 3, I show the back of the bureau with the back cover plate 23 removed. The drawers H] are seen to be resting on the horizontal wood partitions l3 in a manner well'understood by 30 those skilled in the art. .The lowermost partition I3, shown in Fig. 3, is cut away as at M forthe mounting of the vertical arm l5 of an L shaped locking bar. This locking bar is formed by the joining of a horizontal arm IE to the vertical arm l5, as by a pivot II, or else by welding. For holding the arms [5 and It in L shaped relation, an angular bar I8 is utilized, the bar functioning as will be quite clear to those skilled in the art. The upper partition l3 supporting the two small drawers is cut out at [9 to accommodate the vertical arm l5, and is furthercut out at 20 to accommodate the angular bar member l8.

In order to hold the L shaped locking member l5, l6 securely in position so as to prevent its being forced outwardly by movement of one of the drawers forcefully against it, a metal plate 2| is secured by screws 22 to thelower partition member 13, and thus confines the arm I5, as will be readily understood. When several partitions l3 are used, each is treated as is the partition just described.

The back cover plate is designated by reference numeral 23, and is secured to the bureau in a'c55 manner well understood by those skilled in the art. It will be readily appreciated that, the back cover plate 23 may itself be used to confine the arm l5 relatively to the partitions.

A pair of depending guide brackets 24 are secured to the under surface of the upper panel of the bureau, as is best shown at 25 in Figs. 3 and 4, and mounted for sliding movement relatively to these brackets is the horizontal arm I6 1 of the L shaped locking member. Wood blocks 25 are also secured to the upper panel of the bureau and cooperate with the upper ends 21 of vertical locking bars 28 secured to the horizontal arm [6, and to the vertical arm I of the L 15 shaped locking bar, whereby to better guide said ing bar assembly and the parts carried thereby in the extreme left position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. When it is desired to lock up the structure, it is very simple to move the horizontal bar it to the right in Fig. 3 through movement of the locking cylinder l2, which is pinned at 12a to the bar I6, as is probably best shown in Fig. 5.

- The locking cylinder [2 is mounted for sliding movement in a sleeve 32, having a portion 320. fitting on the outside surface of the side panel of the bureau. The sleeve 32 has a bent over portion 321) which fits on the inside of the side panel of the bureau and is pinned thereto by pins 33. A locking bolt 34 carried by the cylinder I2 is adapted, in the position of. Fig. 5, to lock the cylinder against movement to its dotted line position in the same figure, thus maintaining the cylinder and the bar I5, IS in its locked position with the locking lugs 29 cooperating with the series of brackets 30. When the key plug of the cylinder i2 is operated in the usual manner thereafter to retract the bolt 34 from its solid line position of Fig. 5 to its dotted line position in that figure, the locking lugs 29 will move with their supporting bars to the release position of Fig. 3.

I shall now refer to Figs. '7, 8 and 9 to describe a modification of my invention. In this modificationQthelocking is accomplished by the vertical movement of a main locking bar 58 and auxiliary locking bars 5!, all of which carry locking lugs 52 cooperating with brackets 53 secured to the various drawers. Each of the usual drawer supporting partitions 5 3 is notched as at 55 in order to house the vertically moving bars 56 and 5!, the said locking bars being retained in position by a series of plates 56 secured in covering relation to the said notched portions 55, and thus maintaining" the locking bars against forcible projection from their proper aligned position relatively to the drawers by forceful rearward movement of ,the drawers.

For imparting movement to the bars 51) and 5|, I utilize a horizontal actuating bar 51 cooperating with a cylinder [2 in much the same manner as the bar l5 and'the cylinder 82 cooperate in the modification of Fig. 3. Pivoted to this bar 5'! are a series of bell crank members 58, which in turn are pivoted at 59 to support members 613 secured to the lower surface of the upper panel of my bureau. At' their opposite ends, the bell cranks are pivoted at Site each of the vertical locking oil bars 50 and 5|, it being obvious that if the locking bar 5'! slides to the right in Fig. 7, it will act to move the bars 59 and 5| upwardly into drawer locking position. When so actuated, the locking bar 5! will be locked in this locking position by the cylinder l2, in the manner described already with regard to the modifications'of Figs. 3 and 5.

When it is desired to release the drawers, it is merely necessary to retract the bolt 34 of the cylinder lock l2 in the same manner as described with regard to Fig. 5, thus allowing the cylinder E2 to move to the left with bar 51 to its release position of Fig. '7.

From a reading of the description of my invention, it will appear quite clearly that all of the parts used therein are of simple design and of a type which may be fabricated in large quantities from inexpensive sheet metal stock. It will also be readily apparent that my invention may be readily applied to bureaus and other furniture of standard design, and without altering the appearance of the furniture and without requiring special fabrication and special provisions in the manufacture of the furniture to make my invention applicable thereto. I therefore believe myself entitled 'to amonopoly covering those equivalent structures which will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a combination of the class described, a cabinethousing a series of sliding drawers, an L shaped bar, means mounting said bar for horizontal sliding movement in its own plane and with one arm in a horizontal position, the plane of said sliding movement being juxtaposed to the plane of the backs of the said sliding drawers,

partitions between said drawers, means carried by said partitions for guiding said bar whilepreventing forceful pushing of said bar out of its plane of operation, locking extension pieces on said L shaped bar adapted tolock said drawers against sliding movement, and a locking cylinder integral with saidhorizontal arm of theL shaped bar and exposed through the side of the cabinet housing saiddrawers.

2 In a combination of the class described, a cabinet housing a series of sliding drawers, an L shaped ban-means mounting said bar for sliding horizontal movement in its own plane and with onearm in a horizontal position, the plane of said sliding movement being juxtaposed to the plane of the backs of the said slidingdrawers, partitions'between said drawers, means carried by said partitions for guiding said barrwhile preventing forceful pushing of said bar out of its plane of operation, locking extension pieces on said L shaped bar adapted to lock said drawers against sliding movement, a spring urging said Lshaped bar out of drawer locking position, a locking cylinder integral with the horizontal arm of said L shaped bar, a sleevelike housing secured to the side ofsaid cabinet and through which the head of said lockingcylinder protrudes,

, and means for locking said cylinder to said housing and with the L shaped bar secured in drawer docking position against the pressure of said 3. In a combination of the class described, a cabinet housing a series of sliding drawers, partitions extending between said drawers, a back plate carried by said cabinet for preventing access to said drawers and partitions from the rear, a plurality of locking members movable as a unit in substantially a common vertical plane mounted between end surfaces formed on said partitions and said back plate and in juxtaposed relation to the backs of said drawers, means carried by said partitions for guiding said locking members while preventing forceful pushing of said locking members out of said substantially common vertical plane, a locking cylinder secured to said looking members in the substantially common vertical plane of said locking members and extending through the side of said cabinet for operation, a sleeve-like cylinder housing secured to the said side of the cabinet for housing said cylinder, and means for locking said cylinder to said housing and with said locking members maintaining said drawers against outward movement.

4. In a combination of the class described, a cabinet housing having a series of sliding drawers, partitions between said drawers and extending beyond the backs of the said drawers, an L shaped bar, means mounting said bar for sliding movement in its own plane and with one arm in a horizontal position, the plane of said sliding movement being juxtaposed to the plane of the backs of the said sliding drawers and inwardly of the ends of said partitions, said partitions having horizontally extending slots formed therein for the vertical arm of said L shaped bar for allowing horizontal sliding of said bar, means whereby the vertical arm of said L shaped bar locks said drawers against sliding movement when said bar is in a predetermined position relatively to the horizontal, and a locking cylinder integral with said horizontal arm of the L shaped bar and exposed through the side of the cabinet housing for locking said bar in drawer loclnng position.

5. In a combination of the class described, a cabinet housing having a series of sliding drawers, partitions between said drawers, a locking bar having vertical and horizontal arms, means mounting said bar for sliding movement in its own plane and with one arm in a horizontal position, the plane of said sliding movement being juxtaposed to the plane of the backs of the said sliding drawers, metal plates secured tosaid partitions and forming with the ends thereof horizontally extending slots for the guiding of the vertical arm of said locking bar and for allowing horizontal sliding of said bar while retaining said arm against pushing by any one of the,

drawers out of its operating plane, means whereby the vertical arm of said locking bar locks said drawers against sliding movement when said bar is in a predetermined position relatively to the horizontal, and a locking cylinder secured to the, horizontal arm of said bar in the plane of said bar, and exposed through the side of the cabinet housing, said cylinder locking said bar in drawer locking position.

6. In a combination of the class described, a cabinet housing having a series of sliding drawers, partitions between said drawers and extending beyond the backs of the said drawers, a locking bar, means mounting said bar for sliding movement in its own plane and with one arm in a horizontal position and the other arm vertical, the plane of said sliding movement being juxtaposed to the plane of the backs of said sliding drawers and inwardly of the ends of said partitions, said partitions having horizontally extending slots formed therein for the vertical arm of said locking bar for allowing horizontal sliding of said bar, metal plates secured to said partitions and closing said slots whereby to retain said vertical arm against pushing by any of said drawers out of its operating plane, means whereby the vertical arm of said locking bar locks said drawers against sliding movement, a locking cylinder integral with the horizontal arm of said locking bar, a sleevelike housing secured to the side of said cabinet and through which the head of said locking cylinder is operable, and means for locking said cylinder relatively to said housing and with the locking bar secured in drawer looking position.

JAMES C. SIEGEL. 

